The massive corridor of entrance gates at the new bus loop at Oak Hill Country Club wasn't supposed to begin taking fans until 7 a.m. Monday, but when the shuttle buses arrived a little early there was no stopping the eager spectators.

PGA Championship week began a few minutes early in Pittsford, and why not?

"People have been waiting a long time for this," said John LaCrosse, the head golf pro at Bristol Harbour Resort in Canandaigua who admitted that he is, quite proudly, a fan of the game.

Tiger Woods on the practice range on Wednesday morning at Oak Hill -- the day before the start of the PGA Championship. (Photo: JAMIE GERMANO / Staff photographer)

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"To me, this is it. This is the best," LaCrosse said a little after noon, standing a few yards away from the three-deep crowd watching PGA stars Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley launch shots on one of the practice ranges.

"There's nothing better than watching these guys hit balls. Just listen to the sound it makes. I hit balls and it doesn't sound like that."

The sights, the sounds, the feel of a major championship, it all started humming very early on Monday, back in Pittsford after a 10-year absence since the last PGA here in 2003. Practice rounds continue at 7 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to the first tee shot of the 95th PGA Championship at 7:10 a.m. Thursday.

On Monday, there were plenty of fans lining the fairways and around the greens throughout Oak Hill's famed East Course, especially as a chilly morning was burned away by the sun, turning it into a postcard-perfect, warm summer afternoon.

There was an overflow crowd near the range, where autograph seekers flocked, and also at the putting green adjacent to the clubhouse. That made it feel more like the championship had begun instead of it being the first of three practice days.

"We're ecstatic. We're thrilled with the attendance and the beautiful weather," said David Charles, the PGA's Senior Director of Championships. "The golf shop (for merchandise) is also seeing the greatest sales in the last four years. We couldn't be happier with what's happening at Oak Hill."

Ninety-nine of the top 100 players in the world golf rankings are scheduled to play. Defending champion Rory McIlroy was on the range early Monday, along with 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy. Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott played the back nine only, and Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar played their practice round together. Like most others, Johnson arrived in town Sunday evening from Akron, Ohio, where he played in the Bridgestone Invitational, won in runaway fashion by Tiger Woods.

Johnson, 29, and his girlfriend, Paulina Gretzky, the 24-year-old daughter of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, were spotted early Sunday evening at Wegmans in Pittsford. Fans and media staked out the parking lot all day, leaning on the portable fences as they waited for Woods to show up. He finally pulled in to the parking lot around 3 p.m.

One middle-age man booed as Woods pulled in, but was drowned out by cheers. Asked by a fellow fan why he reacted that way, the man said: "I can't cheer for a cheater," alluding to Woods' extra-marital affairs that were exposed in 2009 and led to his divorce.

Phil Mickelson, the world's No. 2 player, pulled into his parking spot next to Woods' at about 1:10 p.m., but never exited his vehicle and drove away.

Neil and Wilma Shaw of Batavia — that's Batavia, Ill., not the Batavia 35 miles west of Rochester — were the first fans through the gate at 6:52 a.m., nearly 10 minutes before they were scheduled to open. Former residents of Gates who moved away in 1983, they arrived last weekend for a wedding and have their hotel booked through next Tuesday — just in case inclement weather were to delay the PGA's completion.

They were headed to the bleachers at the third hole. "We like to sit up high so we can see that hole and others near it," said Neil, who worked for Eastman Kodak for nearly 20 years, until 2000. He has seen the former film giant's fall from grace from afar, along with Xerox and Bausch + Lomb's struggles.

"I still think Rochester has a lot of vibrancy," Neil said.

It sure was lively early in the morning for fans who thought hanging out in front of the clubhouse would be the best spot to try for autographs. Jason Dufner was one of the players who stopped to signed many.

"I'd be happy with Phil Mickelson's (autograph)," said John Rosemier of Mount Morris.

Collecting autographs is a hobby for the 26-year-old. He figures the most famous person's signature he's snagged is former President George W. Bush. He got it during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction weekend in 1999 when Bush was in Cooperstown for Nolan Ryan's enshrinement. Bush used to be a co-owner of one of Ryan's former teams, the Texas Rangers.

Chris Clasgens, 13, of Brighton was hoping to get Bubba Watson's autograph, and he even had a replica hole flag from The Masters, which the swash-buckling Watson won in 2012 for his only major. Clasgens' father, Tim, has volunteered to work at past tournaments at Oak Hill, such as the Senior PGA in 2008, and 2003 PGA. This time he came as a fan with Chris and his younger son, Brennan, 9.

"It's nice just to be here with the boys," Tim said.

Janice Clark of Chili was among the cluster of fans near the clubhouse and as one less-than-famous golfer stopped to sign, she said, "He's cute!" to her friend Donna Smalley, 49, of Brockport and Clark's daughter, Hannah, 13.

When asked who they came to see, Smalley said with a smile: "Anybody else that's cute."

The autograph game isn't an easy one. "You've got to kind of work for it," said Marc Luyben, 46, of Wilmington, N.C.

He said a lot of it depends on timing and whether a player is done practicing or playing. Luyben hung out near the 18th green, hoping players who'd finished their round would oblige. About 15 did, signing the replica 95th PGA Championship hole flag he had. He got Bradley's signature at last year's PGA Championship in Kiawah Island, S.C. He has family and friends who live in the Rochester area, which makes it easier to come here. He also attended the Senior PGA in 2008 and 2003 PGA here at Oak Hill.

Bryan Brooks is new to the autograph game. The Pittsford resident who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Monday bought one of those hole flag replicas early in the morning at Oak Hill. Cost: $30. "I figured I'd come early on a practice day to see if I can get lucky," he said.

"It was pretty easy at the LPGA (at Locust Hill Country Club for the LPGA Championship in May). But I'm not going to spend the whole day trying to hunt these guys down. I want to watch them play, too."

For the players, the practice rounds are about studying the breaks on the greens, picking out sightlines off the tee on where they want to hit their drives and spots on the fairways where they hope to hit their ball. There's also the matter of familiarizing themselves with Oak Hill's thick rough.

Just before Rob Labritz hit three chip shots from the rough next to the 10th green, he told some fans he was practicing them for "karma." He's one of the 20 PGA teaching pros in the field, out of Bedford Hills, Westchester County, and GlenArbor Golf Club. "If I practice out of the rough on every hole, I'm not going to hit it there during the tournament," he said, joking with some fans.

Anthony Largent and Paul Beck, a pair of 25-year-olds from Greece, arrived by 7 a.m. to "check everything out before all the mob comes," Largent said. "You can see everything now."

They said they were too young to appreciate the PGA the last time it was here in 2003.

"It's a cool experience," Beck said. "It's not every day you get to see something like this. We get our chance now, so we want to take advantage of every second."